Bill, Why Morrises? Just so happens our maternal line is Morris. T.D. Morris was my grandfather there in Eldorado. Sure, we knew Gene Haile. Football star etc. I don't remember much tho. I was six years younger, probably. Of course, the Kingston boys, Floyd and Don, we all knew. It seems like Jake was in the same school class as Gene, but Jake didn't go to Washington School. I think Don did and I did. We didn't get to Eldorado till 1944. My mother and dad moved out in the 'mid-30s to Kentucky to work in the coal mines. My mother and some of my bros and sisters were born in Eldorado. When we got to Eldorado Jake was a sophomore or junior in h.s. in Feb. '44. Why Fairfield? The mines or farm? I remember that town for the Shelton brothers. I met one Shelton in about '54, Carl, maybe. Was a nice guy to me. He must have been a cousin or so of the notorious ones. I was just reading recently about "Bloody Williamson." Harrisburg and Eldorado or Fairfield weren't as bloody but they all were pretty wild in certain periods. By the way, Bill, do you know any history of Eldorado that would help me on my book on my family I'm trying to do? There doesn't seem to be much around, even on running the Negroes out of town, probably in the early 1900s, maybe '20s. I visited there last August but I didn't find a lot. Thanks for answering. Ernie Heltsley/Tucson/ex-Eldoradoan/native Kentuckian

Ernie: (Hello cousin) My geeat grandfather was T.D. Morris, Thomas Delton. Walter, T.D's son, was my grandfather, Vera was my mother. When I saw your last name it kind of rung a bell and I remember it had something to do with T.D. What a small world. I have quite a bit of material that I am sure you could use. The reason I asked about Gene, he is dying of cancer. Talked with his wife the other night and it is a matter of time. In the hospital iin Nashville. Washington School was where I spent my first 6 1/2 years. Dad worked for Stinson Grocery in Eldorado and when it closed he found a job as a meat cutter in Fairfield. We moved when I was in the 7th grade. Yes, Fairfield was known for the Shelton brothers. An interesting place! You are probably talking about Little Carl. He dated one of my friends and I ran around with his cousin at the skating rink. They both were of the Shelton clan. I have a couple of books about the early history but they are on loan now. When I get them back, I'll send you their titles. The blacks lived around Nigger Hill mine, on the south side of the road on the way to Shawaneetown, just outside of Eldorado. Do you remember where Bixler School is, along the railroad on the way to Equality? The story I got from Dud, Walter, was that there was a box supper one night at Bixler School and someone rocked the building and roof. Some over anxious men swore it was the blacks so they went home, got their guns and burned the homes and ran the folk out of town. One of the blacka men, George Elliott, became a political force in Decatur. He was a very close friend of Dud. Have you ever heard that story? I don't know the dates of this. I know that when I was in college, 1946, I was in Decatur one time and looked Mr. Elliott up and he was a very active man. Let's keep in touch. Also swap some info about our family. Peace. Bill ----- Original Message ----- From: <HELTSLEY@aol.com> To: <ILSALINE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2001 1:02 PM Subject: Re: [ILSALINE-L] Need some research info > Bill, > Why Morrises? Just so happens our maternal line is Morris. T.D. Morris was > my grandfather there in Eldorado. > Sure, we knew Gene Haile. Football star etc. I don't remember much tho. I > was six years younger, probably. Of course, the Kingston boys, Floyd and Don, > we all knew. > It seems like Jake was in the same school class as Gene, but Jake didn't > go to Washington School. I think Don did and I did. We didn't get to Eldorado > till 1944. My mother and dad moved out in the 'mid-30s to Kentucky to work in > the coal mines. My mother and some of my bros and sisters were born in > Eldorado. > When we got to Eldorado Jake was a sophomore or junior in h.s. in Feb. > '44. > Why Fairfield? The mines or farm? I remember that town for the Shelton > brothers. I met one Shelton in about '54, Carl, maybe. Was a nice guy to me. > He must have been a cousin or so of the notorious ones. I was just reading > recently about "Bloody Williamson." Harrisburg and Eldorado or Fairfield > weren't as bloody but they all were pretty wild in certain periods. > By the way, Bill, do you know any history of Eldorado that would help me > on my book on my family I'm trying to do? There doesn't seem to be much > around, even on running the Negroes out of town, probably in the early 1900s, > maybe '20s. I visited there last August but I didn't find a lot. > Thanks for answering. > > Ernie Heltsley/Tucson/ex-Eldoradoan/native Kentuckian > >